The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee

October 15, 2023
When real life and her webcomic merge, a Washington, D.C., teen's world is turned upside down. Ever since 17-year-old Mina Lee's mother's sudden death, her father has been uninterested in Mina's art, even though it's the one way that she still feels connected to her mother. Despite her father's objections, Korean American Mina needs to convince him to let her go to art school, but she's too scared to broach the subject. She has a plan, though: If her webcomic becomes popular enough, she can show her father that her art matters. The only problem is that it is, frankly, boring--but when Mina tries to spice the story up, things suddenly get a little too interesting. Somehow, Mina finds herself inside her webcomic, and though she might be the author, she's no longer completely in control. To make matters worse, Mina's become part of a love triangle to rival those found in K-dramas, one involving childhood best friend Jin, who died when he was 6. The young woman hero of her webcomic (who's seeming more like a villain) is interested in Jin too. What's a girl to do? The fun, light romance is enhanced by the fantastical elements and diverse supporting cast. The story evokes the daydreams of any teenager who's let their imagination run wild. Both the high school and magical hijinks flow fast and furious, maintaining readers' interest. A lighthearted story with touches of romance and fantasy, told with K-drama flair. (Fiction. 12-18)

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October 30, 2023
A Korean American teen artist is trapped in the world of her own webcomic in this speculative tribute to manhwa by Oh (the Spirit Hunters series). Following her mother’s death, high school senior Mina Lee signs up for three AP classes and SAT tutoring, hoping to make her strict father happy. But she would rather spend time drawing her webcomics. When her friends encourage her to add more romance and excitement to her current story, Mina instead begins a new comic inspired by her own life about a teen with superpowers contending with bullying and espionage at school while trying to woo love interest Jin. Strange things begin happening, however: scenes that Mina didn’t create suddenly appear, and the next thing she knows, Mina is sucked into the world she crafted, where elements of her real life have been altered based on what she drew. Now superpowered herself, Mina must defeat the villain she created, navigate her growing romance with fictional boyfriend Jin, and manage her grief, all while trying to return to her own reality. Employing tropes and elements from K-dramas and Korean webcomics—such as a large and skillfully curated ensemble, vulnerable high-energy conflict, emotionally tender scenes, and swoony romantic moments—Oh crafts a gripping story with superhero flare and a down-to-earth aura. Ages 12–up.

December 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 I am a salmon swimming against the current into the gaping jaws of death."" For Mina, that's senior year. After all, why dream about pursuing art when her fate, predetermined by her family, is to be a salaried professional in an acceptable occupation (e.g., a doctor)? At least she has The School of Secrets, her webcomic inspired by K-dramas and superhero comics, as an artistic outlet. But when a freak thunderstorm somehow merges her fantasy and reality, she suddenly has to deal with superpowered mean girls, a shadowy cabal kidnapping students, and, most confusingly, crushing hard on Jin, a character she modeled on a dear childhood friend who died many years before. And she still has to graduate. Oh has penned a story that engages with topics such as processing grief and complex family dynamics, while still managing to be fun and full of humor. Mina's relationships with her deceased mother, who was herself an artist, and with Jin are especially poignant. A perfect read for any teen pondering their next steps in life.

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